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HOW DO I GET CLEAR SKIN?
Why does my skin break out?
There is usually more than one reason for pesky pimples, breakouts & angry red cysts.
Long story short, there is no miracle cure for acne. No one dose fits everyone treatment. You need to be connected to your body, skin and internal health and take the reigns of what is going on for you. Take advantage of these select professionals such as Dermal Therapist, Naturopath/Wellness Practitioner – specialising in gut health/hormones, Wellness Medical Doctor specialising in hormones.
What are the Stages of Acne?
Mild – small area breakout with more than one pesky pimple or congestion
Moderate – a particular area such as chin, forehead or cheeks with the occasional red angry cyst Severe – Acne, covering one or more areas with a variety of whiteheads, blackheads, papules & cysts
Extremely Severe – Cystic Acne covering a large area EG: Whole face, Back, Chest.
Out of nowhere, I started breaking out regularly in my late 20's right through to my 30's. Being a beauty therapist, my passion for skin conditions, treatment and internal imbalances went deeper.
Feeling tired & embarrassed of my constantly blemished skin, I tried the Antibiotic route out of desperation and found that this made the condition worse along with my declining Confidence.
My passions lead me to further training in Dermal Therapies. I followed by working alongside a Doctor in a skin medical clinic specialising in Acne & Skin Cancer treatment – removal & prevention.
Antibiotics were a regular part of the treatment plan, and this sometimes worked for certain conditions but not all the time. Or it would work for a while, and then the breakouts would return with a vengeance after the antibiotics were finished.
Personally, for me, I discovered some food intolerances & compromised gut health issues with inflammation. Elimination diet, probiotics, Gut Relief, lots of water and a continuation of my skin regime with key products to improve the integrity of my skin and in-clinic treatment plan of regular Dermapen skin needling. Finally, my breakouts and scarring cleared. I respectfully learnt this skin journey is not always the same for every acne sufferer.
Therefore I have formulated my 'Trifecta Treatment' that can be tweaked for each individual.
KEY AREAS TO LOOK INTO
In my skin journey of suffering from consistent breakouts and my Dermal therapy skills and treatments, I discovered key areas that lead to successful improvements. For each patient, we would adjust the treatment plan to suit the presenting skin condition. In the clinic, we regularly recommend dietary changes in the treatment plan, and I discovered compromised gut health will always be the key to breakouts. Hormones also have a pivotal part to play, especially in the teenage years and peri/ menopause and sometimes with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
INTERNAL HEALTH
Gut Health – Food allergies/intolerance leading to Leaky Gut, Gut Inflammation, Autoimmune Disease such as Coeliac. A body fighting an illness is already suffering from inflammation. Adding medication can further erupt the inflammation and cause more problems, especially if this is related to food intolerances.
Hormones – Girls – Beginning of periods, increased oil production from androgen during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause. Boys – especially if they already have oily skin alongside the surge of Androgen hormone during teen years. This creates an overproduction of oil with slow shedding of dead skin cells that can block the pores. This dead skin creates a plug over the pore entrance, and the oil gland starts producing even more oil under these pressurised conditions. Boom…a perfect breeding ground for acne!
SOME Vitamins to consider - Again, this is an area that you may need to seek further professional assistance…Vitamin C – For quicker healing, Zinc – Breakouts can also be linked to a zinc deficiency, Fish Oil (or Flaxseed for vegetarians)– anything between 3000-10,000 mg per day this also works well for eczema and psoriasis & Probiotics (a must especially if you are on antibiotics)
The best product to avoid in your diet – SUGAR! Foods with added sugar, Natural high sugary fruits, Juices and soft drinks. It's the worst, and it is in almost everything! Read labels and know all the sugar code names – Fructose, sucrose, maltose, golden syrup & dextrose. Once you eliminate sugar for three days, your body becomes used to this new alignment, and the sugar cycle bandwagon becomes non-existent.
The Paleo diet with no dairy and no processed foods worked well in combination.
Foods that don't contribute to inflammation – Focus on light, fresh 'live food' vegetables and meat that preferably can swim or fly! Avoid processed foods.
MY BEST TOPICAL TIPS THAT WORK WELL IN COMBINATION –
CLEANSING – Clean your skin every day AM and PM with the right cleanser. The right cleanser will clean your skin gently without drying the skin or stripping the natural base oils. The PH of your cleanser should be between 5-6PH. For certain skins, I will also recommend swapping in an Active Cleanser 2-3 x Week. Active Cleansers contain a small percentage of Alpha-Hydroxy & Beta-Hydroxy Acids. Stay away from astringent cleansers, SOAP and extremely foaming agents. This will upset the acid mantle or Frontline/Armour of your skin even further. Alcohol as a top-listed ingredient is a no-no, incredibly drying and further irritating.
DO NOT PICK AT YOUR SKIN!! This can cause a further breeding ground for Acne Bacteria (Propionibacterium ACNES) and scarring. If you need extractions, book in to see your chosen Dermal Therapist.
SWAP YOUR SUNSCREEN TO OIL-FREE – Avoid heavy oil-based sunscreens when you can, and choose an oil-free sunscreen that is also skincare. O'Cosmedics Mineral Pro 30+ is the bomb in sunscreen, hydrating, protecting and calming. The main ingredient is Zinc Oxide which also calms any inflammation in the skin. I love this!
SLEEP ON A CLEAN PILLOWCASE EVERY NIGHT – Turn your pillow over and then change it completely, so it's clean for your clean face every night. Pillowcases used every night can be a perfect breeding ground for that build-up of oil, dirt, grime, dead skin cells and bacteria.
AVOID Mineral Oils in products, especially cleansing & moisturising.
MOISTURISE – This will need to be individually prescribed depending on the presentation of the skin. There is a myth that oily skin does not need moisturiser. You can be oily and still have dry skin; go figure! Sometimes an oil-free Hydrator moisturiser is required, or a really lightweight (Less oil) recovery moisturiser is best. Again this fine-tuning of the best product for the skin is navigated by the experts, your chosen Dermal Therapist.
SPOT TREATMENT – I've witnessed great results with the powerful ingredient Niacinamide. This calms skin inflammation and supports the strength and immunity of the skin cells, which can be compromised when there is an imbalance. This, in combination with a Potent Spot Clearing Serum with a low percentage of Salicylic Acid, will assist the healing on a basis without drying the area out harshly.
VITAMIN A – ONLY TO BE USED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF YOUR DERMAL THERAPIST. Vitamin A is the conductor of the orchestra in skin products. This ingredient actually penetrates the skin cell and reactivates how it works. There are various formulations of Vitamin A, Retinol or Retin A. These are to be used under the guidance and instruction of your chosen Dermal Therapist as they need to be drip-fed into the skin over time. Alongside some other considerations.
EXFOLIATE – With Caution! We don't want to overstimulate the skin or be too abrasive and cause more inflammation. However, we do want to remove the dead skin cells and allow the other topicals to penetrate into the fresh cells. You can use a polishing scrub with smoothing minute granules and a little active AHA's thrown in or a non-abrasive Mask/Peel such as O'Cosmedics 3in1 Fruit Peel.
BE CONSISTENT- Consistency is the key! Regular Cleaning and care of your skin of the above combinations with the correct products for 'YOUR' Skin.
IN-CLINIC TREATMENT –
Internal Health & Home Tip Combos are covered; let us look at the treatments that I have experienced with my skin journey and clients in-clinic to bring the best results. Strangely during moderate to severe breakouts, the dead skin cells collect and build up inside and on top of the breakouts. This causes a plug that can create the oil gland to pump more oil than normal creating more pressure & further inflammation. The following treatments will only be chosen out of the best interest of the skin at each stage. Sometimes the inflammation is so severe that I will start slowly and gently with only a few changes and see what is working best to help strengthen the integrity of the skin first. I'm not a fan of the get in and use the big treatments first.
PRO DERMAL PEEL – Sometimes the best entry-level treatment for problem skin. This hydrates whilst exfoliating the skin with a gentle enzyme. Followed by a soothing Alginate Mask.
MICRO-PEEL – Gentle Smoothing Microdermabrasion, extractions followed by Salicylic Peel. This is like 'Drano' for the pores! Evacuating the build-up of oil and rubbish in the pores to allow healing to take place.
Skin needling & combination therapies: DERMAPEN 4 is hands down the most superior & revolutionary device in skin needling. Specific Scar treatment setting, precise, reliable and drag-free needle penetration, best results with more rejuvenation channels & increased results. Smooth efficiency, gliding over the skin for optimum patient comfort. DP4 with combination therapies is incredible for certain stages of acne, acne scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (when the spot is long gone but has left a red/purple mark in its place. Skin needling resets the skin at an epidermal or dermal level depending on the specific condition being treated. All skins can be treated with skin needling. It just depends on the presenting condition as to when it is best to introduce.
LED LIGHT THERAPY – This light therapy is excellent for treating bacteria - Blue and Red light for inflammation. Consistency is the key, with at least 20 min or more 2-3 x per week for several weeks. The blue light has an antimicrobial effect, making it effective at killing several types of bacteria that can collect in the pores and oil glands, causing breakouts. The red light helps promote healing, working deep below the skin's surface to help soothe & repair tissue.
Laser: For deeper acne scarring, this can definitely be an avenue to explore. In combination with DP4 Skin needling performed leading up to and post-laser treatment, this delivers incredible results.
KEY TAKEAWAYS –
My 'Trifecta Acne Treatment' is always individually based; it is not a 'one size fits all
However, I do work from the main core focus that always gets results. All you need is patience and commitment –
INTERNAL HEALTH – Get to know your body, make friends with yourself listen to what is and what isn't working for you.
COMBINATION TOPICAL TIPS & PRODUCTS – Seek advice from your chosen reputable dermal therapist for the wow products & specific routine that is perfect for your skin in its current condition. This doesn't have to break the bank balance! But remember, everything you do correctly for your skin is an investment.
IN-CLINIC THERAPIES – Professionally delivered and planned at the correct stages of your skin journey. The aim is to strengthen and support the integrity of your skin, not make it more compromised.
Please share this blog with anyone who you feel will gain insight and benefit. We all desire to put our best selves forward in the world, and if you are suffering from bad skin, please don't suffer in silence.
If you would like to contact me for any further information or personal guidance, you can contact me through the following channels……
Yours in great skin health,
Fiona Ireland
BOSS AESTHETICS.
Advanced Beauty and Dermal Therapist
0416 276 344
13/465 Oxley Drive, Runaway Bay, 4216
About me
I am a Trained Advanced Beauty and Dermal Therapist. I have treated thousands of clients over 20+ years, including 6 years as a Dermal Therapist in a high-end Cosmetic Medical Clinic.